Round 2: Do you think the Capital Region is bike friendly?

I was recently interviewed by Tim O’Brien, Times Union reporter and blogger, and asked the question, do I think the Capital Region has become more bike friendly? When I first heard his question, my gut answer was “No.” Busy people, texting, rushing, talking – that’s what makes cycling unsafe. Could local groups do more to carve out safe space for cyclists? Yes. But for those of us who enjoy riding the roads – it is the individual driver who needs to be “bicycle friendly”. However, cyclists are responsible, too. My wife witnessed an accident on 146 near Price Chopper Plaza on July 17th. A teen boy crossed at the end of the light and got hit. No helmet – seemingly bad head injury. We need to educate everyone about safety. Typically an accident has to occur before the topic is brought up.

I can tell you from a cyclist point of view the Saratoga County roads are getting busier with traffic and drivers are becoming more reckless when there is a cyclist on the road. I have been hit twice while cycling in Clifton Park, the last time being on Easter Sunday 2008 on the corner of Route 146 and Vischers Ferry Road. In that case, I was riding fully within traffic laws and conservatively at the intersection (as verified by the several kind witnesses who stopped). The driver made a sudden turn without signaling and sped away after hitting me – without stopping. It seems, and this is anecdotal, that everyone is in much more of a hurry and paying less attention. Even when a road is clear of other traffic, cars will often not make much room as they pass me. Either they don’t see me (hard to miss!) or they are trying to make a point.

As far as sharrows and share the road signs are concerned, I have not seen any on the roads I cycle on in Saratoga County. In all fairness, I have seen the faint outlines of a couple of painted bicycles on one road I cycle but does that mean there is a trend starting? With the exception of the Clifton Park YMCA, I haven’t seen many bike racks but in all honesty, I don’t cycle to park my bike on a bike rack.

The Town of Malta has made commitments in this area (I serve on the Trail Committee there). Malta has a very beautiful network of trails known as the Zim Smith Trail for cyclists, pedestrians, and equestrians to enjoy safely. There is even talk of expanding the Zim Smith Trail with the hope someday of joining the Albany and Warren County trails. This to me, would signal a huge advancement for those cyclists wishing to commute to work.

Town of Malta Zim Smith Trail

One good perspective may be from the Bike shop owners…are folks buying more bikes with the cost of gas going up? Are the local shops seeing a growing interest – are clubs seeing an increase in membership? Ask any bike shop owner, or ask the folks who arrange cycling events in this area…Dieter Drake, Tour of the Batenkill promoter and cyclist, and Heather Rizzi promotes women’s cycling events are great places to start for most serious cyclists in the area.

I will say that the Capital Region has become more hospitable towards organized cycling events like the Tour of the Battenkill. In April, 2011 this professional event will now include a Women’s Professional race as a highlight on USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar (NRC) series of races. The Tour of the Battenkill Professional Women’s race will be in addition to the Men’s Professional race already in its second year on the Americas Tour international professional calendar as a UCI 1.2 event. Both races will be held on Saturday, April 16 in Cambridge, NY: the 1-lap, 62 mile / 100 km women’s race will precede the 2-lap, 124 mile / 200 km men’s event on the course known as ‘America’s Queen of the Classics’. The course features several sections of dirt roads and difficult climbs in scenic Washington County, NY. The professional events follow the popular Pro/Am event to be held the previous weekend on Sunday, April 10 where more than 2500 racers are expected from around the world.

Tour of the Batenkill

The Tour of the Battenkill in April, the Tour of the Catskills in August, and a soon-to-be-announced professional event in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate NY in September will comprise a series of professional events hosted by Cycle for Health (www.cycleforhealth.org) – a new charitable organization to combat obesity and diabetes, and to promote Junior level cycling in the US and Canada.